Semiresilient ceramic tile flooring section



April 19, 1938. J. LABRA I 2,114,474

SEMIRESILIENT CERAMIC TILE FLOORING SECTION Filed Nov. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 19, 1938. J. LABRA SEMIRESILIENT CERAMIC TILE FLOORING SECTION- Filed Nov. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 19, 193% i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEMIBESILIENT CERAMIC TILE FLOORING SECTION Joseph Labra, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application November 14, 1936, Serial No. 110,853

3 Claims. (Cl. 'l 2-18) This invention relates to ceramic mosaic tile ginal outer lines of both tile and base are comiloor coverings, method of applying same tiles to pletely flush with each other, so that the outer floors, on situs, and also to movable sections line of the base sheet is joined to the continuawhich are then affixed to floors in a manner tion base, and the outer line of tlie tile is also i which will make an easy removal of the installaflush with the outer line of the continuation of tions and may be transported and reinstalled if tiles. Neither the base sheet nor the tile is beso desired, and has for one of its objects the ing provided with any overlapping engagement provision of a simple inexpensive yet highly efiifor connecting with each other. It will be nocient method of preparing and applying such ticed that in this method of mosaic tile sections tiles to a suitable backing on what may be movoverlapping and projecting parts would be most 10 able sections built right on situs or pre-manufacobjectionable when assembling the sections in tured sections which are then laid to floors ina straight and parallel lines. manner similar to oilcloth floor coverings, etc. Inserting and recess points are provided on the Another object of the invention is the producbase for tiles of the hexagon type where the base tion of a semi-resilient ceramic mosaic iloor sheet is then fabricated to the same hexagonal which will ease the walking on and that can shape and the outer lines of both base and tile be used or placed over any other type of floor, are pasted perfectly flush with each other so that and which will cause no material inconvenience the sections may then become interlocked with in raising and transforming into a real wearing other adjacent sections, thus no sectional joint tile any ordinary built floor. will be visible. 20

The invention refers specifically to both, man- After the tile section is dry the gummed paper ner by which a plurality of pre-manuf'actured on its surface is moistened and removed from the small resilient mosaic floor sections are built and tile, and a grouting coat of cement is spread over set up, and the manner by which a resilient floor the surface of the tiles, forcing same through is built on situs, which can also be removed at all the joint crevices. v 25 will, and so re-used in any other convenient The same movable sections may be constructed place.- The pre-manufactured sectional floor on situs as well as pre-manufactured such as the covering in accordance with my'invention ooncase may require. In such case and when using sists of a hard, tough base made of waterproof mesh wire or other metal lath for base a sheet type materials, such as vulcanized fibre board, of felt paper or any other building paper or simi- 30 plywood, sheet metal, wire mesh metal lath and lar object must be placed on top of the original the like materials, which are rigid enough to refloor, that is, right under the metal lath or the sist the daily wearing of a floor and that is water like so as to prevent the cementing materials resisting and which base is fabricated to the exwhich penetrate through the empty spaces of the act shape of the ordinary mosaic tile as it is metal lath or wire mesh from a possible contact 35 mounted and sold on gummed paper strips, by and adhesion with the main floor, making a perthe tile manufacturers. fect separation between the tile base sheet, and

This base is prepared to correspond in shape the main floor thus making the new-floor semiand size to such paper gummed tile and which resilient with the added asset of its lightness and 40 maybe made to receive one, two, or more gummed capable of being removed and re-used if so de- 40 ceramic mosaic strips increasing the size of the sired. base accordingly. For building on to situs sections which might re- The backing of the fabricated base is given quire their removal at any desirable time, I prea coating of a rubber latex and Portland cement, fer to use a wire mesh with a small diamond deor other suitable adhesives and the strip or strips sign, and a small metal ream welded continu- 45 of paper mounted tiles, is-subsequently placed on ously around the four corners of the metal lath to the plastic coated base, following the shape for the portion of its depth, forming unbroken and arrangement of the outside rows of the tiles edges to meet the adjoining sections, and which of the two adjacent sections which will occupy provides a distinct advantage of steel strength- I the same relation to each other as do the rows ened tile slab. 50 of tiles on'each separate part or section, whereby It is preferable to use a smaller size than the the lines of demarcation between said sections will ordinary manufactured metal lath. I found that be invisible. the most convenient size for handling in connec- The said tile pieces are being applied flush to tion with this new method. of floor covering is the outer line of the base sheet, and all the maran approximation of 24" x 48". This size affords 5c a convenient removal of the slabs when necessary.

The following constitutes the foundation for the semi-resilient tile flooring.

A layer of building paper felt or the like material, is placed up on the main floor that is to be covered which must prevent the cementing materials from contacting with the main floor. The metal lath which is to form the base sheet for the tile, is subsequently placed on top of the felt paper, which lays over the main floor, and at this point a grouting, consisting of a mixture of sand, Portland cement, dissolved in an adhesive rubber latex solution or any other suitable grouting cement composition is spread over the surface of the metal lath, permitting it to pass through all its spaces and crevices, and allowed to harden before the ceramic mosaic tiles are laid. Once dried a second coat of a tile adhesive cement such as Portland cement and rubber latex solution or other suitable cements, is spread over the metal lath base sheet, and is ready to receive the tile at once.

In ceramic mosaic tiles, there are small tiles of various patterns and adapted to laying in special designs or borders, and for this purpose are mounted on sheets of paper of a size convenient to handle.

In setting the ceramic mosaic tiles to which the described specification refers, the sheets should be first examined to see that the design is right. The sheets are then laid carefully on the moistened cementing tile adhesive which is spread on a thickness of about V of an inch.

The sheets are then laid on the cementing adhesive with paper side up; after the space is covered the tiles are pressed into bed, being beaten down with a block and ram-hammer until the cement in the joints is visible through the paper without however breaking it. The joints between the sheets are spaced the same as those upon the sheets, conforming with the uniform effect of the floor. thoroughly soaked with water and removed.

A grouting of cement may at this point he forced through the empty tile spaces.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which for the purpose of illustration is shown on the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a section made of ceramic hexagonal tiles in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is one end view of the section, D is the tile, E the adhesive, F the base, G the foundation floor.

Fig. 3 is another end view of the section.

Fig. 4 is a base, the face view of the foundation sheet.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view partly broken away showing one manner in which ceramic mosaic tiles are mounted and sold ready for use.

Fig. 6 is another top plan view of a square edged ceramic flooring tile.

After being laid the paper is moistened,

Fig. 1, S indicates a section of ceramic mosaic tile, comprising tiles D" which are pasted or cemented to a suitable backing F by means of a coating of adhesive E. The tiles D may be individually cemented to the backing F, or they may be pasted or attached as hereafter described.

Some ceramic mosaic tile manufacturers market their products mounted or pasted on gummed paper strips T to attach tiles so that it may be mounted on a backing F. I coat a strip T, of such tiles with the adhesive coating E, which also permeates the crevices or spaces K between the individual tiles. The strip T prior to receiving the adhesive coating E is placed upon a support or tray of approximately the same size as the strip T. Either prior or subsequently to the coating of adhesive and when thus prepared or treated the strip of tiles T is placed upon the backing F with the coated surfaces of the backing. After the tile section is dry, the paper T on the strip is torn oif or otherwise removed from the tile surface.

- Before applying the adhesive coating to the tiles, some of them at pre-determined locations are removed so as to provide vacant spaces 0.

The object of removing the aforementioned tiles is to provide areas for drilling the backing member F for the reception of the screws h for securing the tile sections to the floor, specially colored tiles 1 are secured in the openings or spaces C.

When it is desired to remove the tile section F, the tiles 2/ are withdrawn and the screws h are unscrewed.

Where the floor support is of such nature that the screws are unpractical, the tile sections are pasted or cemented to the-floor with a coating of adhesive ee which is somewhat weaker or less tenacious than the coating e so that the tile sections may be pried loose and pulled off. For such hexagonal ceramic mosaic tile floor covering I prefer to use a fabricated base sheet such as the one shown on Fig. 4 with interlocking in-.

serts, A and recesses b. The outer lines of the base sheet A and b are cemented flush with the outer marginal lines of the tile pieces d so that the base sheet and tiles will be contacting with the adjacent sections.

Figures 6 to 9b show a different type of floor tiles with the same system of construction as heretofore described consisting of a rectangular base sheet of hard and yet flexible character such as sheet metal or plywood F. Each of the said sections is constructed to receive a multiplicity of ceramic floor tiles with rectangular edges DD said tiles are applied and cemented by E flush to the outer edges of the base sheet F so as to permit the different sections being joined together at their marginal lines X leaving intermediate spaces between the adjacent sections to be filled with the cementing plastic and which spaces will correspond with those of the separating surfaced tile pieces X. S are applied to the foundation floor F a cementing plastic -E is spread all along the four bottom side edges of the base sheet S" which will contact with the foundation floor G thus securing the outer edges of the section to the foundation floor while the inner part remains semi-resilient. The sections are then so arranged on the foundation floor that all the tile joints will run parallel with the -.ioints of other adjacent sections.

Figs. 9, 9a,.9b, show a base sheet which may be built in situ, and is adaptable to be removed When the sections and reinstalled; said base sheet is very light in weight and flexible. It consists of wire mesh square with .a rim R welded all around the four corners which is. filled with a mixture of Portland cement, sand and an aqueous solution of rubber latex or other suitable matters.

In accordance with my invention I placea layer of paper, sawdust or the like P over the floor G that is to be tiled. I place a multiplicity of metal square sections as shown on Fig. 9 upon the paper P. The mixture now simulating ordinary cement mortar is spread over the wire mesh J and subsequently I spread a coat of an adhesive cementing matter 12' over the cement filled wire meshI, then I assemble the ceramic tiles DD upon the surface of the metal and cement made base sheet in parallel lines with'other joints X" of the adjoining sections.

Fig. 9b shows side view of the structure. G is the foundation floor. P is the layer of paper or similar matter used as the intermediary preventing the base sheet "F" to the foundation G. menting matter. "DD shows the floor ceramic tiles and X the parallel joints. It is understood that the tiles design. While this floor tiling system is practical from a possible adhesion for use on any type of floor surface or floor ccn-' struction, it is especially adaptable to cover floor structures requlringveritable ceramic mosaic tiles and is particularly suitable floor coverings on structures which were not actually pro-arranged to receive the ordinary heavy loads usually necessary in tile setting. It' is sanitary and not objectionable to building codes for overloading.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A semi-resilient ceramic floor tile section E is the adhesive ce-- may be laid in any other desired which may be built on situs or otherwise consisting of matters such as felt or'building paper laid over the main floor, thus preventing the cementing matters from contacting with the main floor; a multiplicity of metal mesh units, provided with metal rims along the edges of the four sides; a cementing mixture of sand, Portlandcement and rubber latex or other suitable adhesives, to form a base slab; a plurality of floor tiles and a suitable tile adhesive securing the tiles to the backing member which floor is thus resilient and adaptable to removal.

2. A semi-resilient ceramic floor tile section, built on situs consisting of a multiplicity of metal base units serving as tile backing members, a rub-v ber latex tile adhesive compound, securing the backing member to the tiles, a plurality of floor tiles which outer edges. are cemented on straight line flush with the outer line'of the metal base forming individual movable slabs.

3. A semi-resilient ceramic mosaic floor tile section consisting of a plastic cementing adhesive, a multiplicity of small tile pieces and a rigid base sheet with its outer marginal lines fabricated to receive the arrangement of a plurality of small hexagonal tile pieces in the manner that the outer marginal lines of the hexagonal tile pieces, when cemented together will coact and aline to conform in the arrangement with the dentoid marginal lines of the said backing member base sheet,'so that when the section is applied to the foundation floor, the edges of thejbase sheet will contact with other similar sections and thus they may be screwed, pasted or otherwise'secured to the foundation floor, being all substantially as shown and-described.

. JOSEPH LAIBRA. 

